On Saturday, November 15, 2025, a significant event took place as filmmakers gathered at the Musanze Genocide Memorial to honor the memory of victims and delve into the history of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi. Joined by leaders from the Mashariki African Film Festival and DPC James Bagabo, the filmmakers were warmly received by the Ibuka organization in Musanze District.
The visit began with a solemn moment of silence, followed by the laying of flowers on the mass graves where victims of the 1994 Genocide against the Tutsi are buried. During their tour of the various sections of the memorial site, the visitors were guided through the somber history of the genocide that devastated the former Ruhengeri Prefecture.
The Musanze Genocide Memorial is the resting place of more than 800 victims who were murdered at the former Court of Appeal in Ruhengeri. Many of these victims were from the former Busengo Sub-prefecture, now part of Gakenke District. Under false promises of safety, they were lured to this site, but on April 15, 1994, they faced brutal killings carried out by interahamwe militias and soldiers.
The building that now serves as the memorial was previously known as the Regional Court of Appeal. It became a congregation point for over 400 Tutsi victims who sought refuge during the genocide. These individuals, mainly from nearby areas such as the former Busengo Sub-prefecture, were fleeing their homes in the hope of finding sanctuary at the court, which had a reputation of offering protection.
Nzanana Dismas, who served as the Sub-prefect of Busengo at the time, betrayed the trust of those seeking refuge. He reassured the victims of their safety while secretly coordinating with Protais Zigiranyirazo, the then-Prefect of Ruhengeri, to send these innocent civ